Kariega Game Reserve Ukhozi Lodge

From the moment we arrived, everything was perfect. The staff simply couldn’t do enough for us; every detail thoughtfully taken care of, and their warmth made us feel completely at home. The food was delicious as was the incredible South African wine. The game drives were amazing. You get to see such an abundance of wildlife. Inquisitive giraffes around every corner, lazy honking hippos, rhinos, zebras and so many antelope species (it’s impossible to remember them all) as well as unforgettable sightings of cheetahs, lions and so many elephants up close. The standout moments for us have to be witnessing a female lion with her adolescent cubs make a successful warthog kill right in front of us which was both raw and unforgettable, and spending time with Thandi and Twinks was simply wonderful. What truly sets Kariega apart is the incredible conservation work you are doing. Knowing that our stay plays even just a very small part in supporting and protecting this work made the experience even more meaningful. This was our second visit to Ukhozi and we fell in love all over again. I don’t even need to convince my husband that we should return again, you’ve already done that for me.

Fantastic place and staff . The whole experience has been amazing. Our guide Thembani was outstanding. Everyone so friendly and helpful. Loved it .

Outstanding service from start to finish! The staff were all extremely attentive and friendly. The team really went the extra mile to make our engagement so special! The food was always well presented and delicious! We really appreciated the variety in the dishes - there was something for everyone! Our lodge was very spacious, clean and modern. It also had the most amazing views to watch the sunrise! We had an amazing ranger called Mali who was extremely knowledgeable and was excellent at tracking the animals! We really appreciated his tenacity despite the adverse weather conditions. Thank you team Ukhozi Kariega team for making our trip so memorable and special!

Absolutely brilliant from start to finish. All staff and service exceptional as was the food. JJ our safari guide was absolutely fantastic, the daily early morning and late afternoon safari drives were a wonderful experience and we saw absolutely everything hoped for including rhinos, elephants, hippos, cheaters, lions and much, much more, and all close up. The afternoon break on the plains included wine and nibbles which was such a relaxing and unique treat.

Deciding which private game reserve to book proved quite a challenge and we picked Kariega for its size (11,000 hectares). This meant that you really felt like you were in a major game park rather than some low-budget safari park. Our game drives (2 per day) were superbly led by Darryl who told us about all the wildlife and the wider environment. This is not a zoo so don't expect to tick every box in regard to species - rather enjoy what you see. I mentioned an interest in seeing an African Fish Eagle and there it was on our final drive. Drives are in open top Landcruisers and the going can get quite rough so this is not like a walk in your local park. Kariega has a varied landscape. including 2 rivers so a Hippo sighting is on the cards if you are interested. Lots of great sights and photo opportunities! The hospitality and catering side of things was outstanding. Do we even have such levels of service in UK? Staff so friendly and helpful, lovely food and a large room at the Lodge with a view over the reserve. The Main part of Kariega is much busier and they cater for tour groups and children. If you want to avoid both (no kids at Ukhozi) then book this location. Perhaps all the private reserves in this part of Eastern Cape - and there are several - are all to this high standard. I can only say that that Kariega has left us with a lifetime memory to be recalled with great pleasure.